Hanging off the side of a horse as it gallops around an arena floor might not be the idea of fun for most of us, but for four young women from Norquay it is just what they like to do with their weekends.
The Fantastic Four Trick Riders have only been riding for audiences since May, but their routines kept audiences at the Horse Extravaganza at this year's Grain Millers Harvest Showdown enthralled.
Marcia Griffith was the first one to become interested in the idea of trick riding.
"I worked for five years at guest ranches in Alberta," she said, adding part of her job was taking clients around to rodeos. "Everywhere we went there were trick riders. I thought 'wow' I want to do that."
Griffith, 28, went looking for an instructor, and found one in Calgary who gave her a few lessons before she moved back to Norquay. She said for a couple of years she sort of "played around" with trick riding, but was taking it too seriously.
Friend Robyn Holodniuk, 24, came out one day "just to hold the flags at least," said Griffith, adding just watching did not last long.
Holodniuk was soon riding too.
"I've always loved horses. It was just something to add to my and my horse's resume," she said. "It was a new challenge."
Alyssa Grywacheski, 20, soon joined the group, being somewhat unique among the four in that she had only occasionally rode a hose.
"I came from a quadding, biking, ski-dooing family," she said.
But trick riding caught Grywacheski's attention.
"It was challenging. I like extreme things," she adding, adding riding off the side of a horse fed that interest.
With Callie Holodniuk the group was up to four, but still were not riding for audiences.
But Norquay's Centennial was this year and Griffith said that became their impetus to create an actual show. They decided they would perform in their home town on its centenary.
"I decided I'm really going to do this," she said," adding the others were eagerly on side with the idea.
One big thing with trick riding is the relationship of rider and horse.
Griffith said it does take a horse with certain qualities.
"Not every horse is a trick riding horse," she said, adding "you definitely want speed. Speed impresses."
And there must be trust.
"You've got to truly trust your horse," said Grywacheski.
Holodniuk agreed that without the trust it can't work.
"You're not going to go anywhere," chimed in Holodniuk.
Once the trust is there, then it is just having the nerve to try a trick, to learn, and perfect it.
"The first time you hang off a horse you don't crash," said Grywacheski, adding initially you are cautious and don't push things. "When you start getting braver, you crash."
Accidents are part of trick riding, although through some eight performances there have been no mishaps.
"It does cross your mind," said Griffith, adding at Wednesday's performance her horse tripped a little as she hung off the side, and there was nothing she could do but trust her horse to stay on its feet.
In terms of learning new tricks, the Internet has become a useful resource, where surfing can unlock rare tricks performed by others.
"We prefer to call it study," said Holodniuk with a smile.
Griffith said they are always experimenting, and trying out different tricks.
That is how they came to do the possum belly, a move where one rider hangs under the belly of a galloping horse, while a second rider guides the horse.
It was one they found in an old black and white photograph.
"It's a pretty unique trick," said Griffith, who added they are still fine-tuning it so that one day Robyn will be standing in the saddle.
"It's an adrenaline rush," admitted Griffith. "That one really messes with the mind."
The tail drag is another crowd pleaser where one rider hangs over the honches of the horse.
"If something happens there's nothing I can do about it," said Griffith.
It is interesting how family looks at their move into trick riding. Griffith and Holodniuk are both married.
"He just shakes his head," said Griffith of her husband's reaction.
On the other hand Holodniuk's husband is eager to offer his "honest opinion," often suggesting things like the horses need to be running faster.
In Griffith's case trick riding is also becoming a family affair as three-year-old daughter Charlie is already part of the show.
The girls say they are into trick riding for the long haul.
"We've invested money, we've got to keep going," said Griffith with a smile.
"We've found out it not a cheap sport to be in," added Grywacheski.
While the girls have different career paths, they are not worried about moving apart anytime soon.
'"We're pretty grounded in Norquay," said Holodniuk.
Grywacheski said it helps that the four are good friends too.
"There's no divas in this group," she said.
Anyone interested in hiring the Fantastic Four Trick Riders can call Griffith at 306-594-3007.
